Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Have you ever agonised, shall I buy one plant or three? Here's a money saving way to but at least three plants for the price of one!!

First - buy from a reputable nurseryman and look for a well filled (but not pot bound and suffering) pot! I'm using a Primula vulgaris cultivar as an example here. Most can be torn apart and potted up in this way from late winter until early summer!

Knock the plant out.

Carefully tease the rootball apart.

Separate into individual plants for potting up.....

Job done!! You got your three plants plus an insurance pot!

An example of the tips and tricks covered in the popular talk 'Propagation - a matter of life and death'

Monday, 18 February 2013

The Plant Heritage juno Iris collection I hold is a 'little sister' collection to Kew and this winter has been very good for them (hopefully seed will be sprouting like cress soon too!) They are relatively 'late' given the performance in recent years but the temperatures have allowed them to have a typical rather than forced growth cycle! With day temps in low single figures, the flowers are seemingly lasting for ever - that's always good news!!

The garden junos are now peeking above the soil but it is in the pot collection that the main display is starting! The flowers may be lasting but the light is dreadful for photography!Iris rosenbachina is understandably very popular and quite variable. Here are three fine examples.....

The 'Varzob' clone was the first juno to flower this year, seen here on 4th Feb.

The 'Harangon' clone is widely available and first flower opened fully today.

I don't know whether this next Iris rosenbachiana should have a clonal name - it was meant to be the red purple Tovil dara clone but it's one of the nicest I've grown with lovely rich colours! Never complain!!!!

Saturday, 16 February 2013

South Wales AGS show, the first show and always one of my favourite shows! The emphasis is usually on bulbous plants but a number of early Primulaceae are at their best then. I've let the PC sort the plants into alphabetical order and the sequence looks good and saves agonising on how to group the plants....

A simply gorgeous panful of Colchicum hungaricum from Jim Mcgregor to start off with. I can't believe this didn't win an award or prize!

Of course I've got a soft spot for juno Iris and this pan of Iris 'Sindpers' is testimony to years of patient increase (Bob and Rannveig Wallis)

Iris rosenbachiana - a Bondarenko clone.

Iris stenophylla ssp allisonii with it's distinctive spotting and streaking on the falls.

Iris winogradowii has never looked so good (or floriferous) from John Dixon. Joint Rock thought so too and awarded a First Class Certificate.

And how about these two Certificate of Merit winning pans of Narcissus.....

Firstly Narcissus asturiensis shown by Eric Jarrett.

Then Don and Heather Hyde's Narcissus romieuxii

There were not too many European Primulas present and Eric Jarrett's Primula allionii 'Daniel' was one of the most eye catching.

Don Peace ensured the petiolarids maintained a presence with two hybrids....

Primula 'Arduaine' (P. bhutanica x P. whitei)

Primula 'Tantallon' (P. nana x bhutanica)

Here's one to practice your powers of pronunciation on .... Scilla mischtschenkoana

The final image, Paul and Gill Ranson's AGS medal winning small six pan.

This is not an official show report, which you can see on the AGS website here from Tim Lever. Also check out Jon Evans's images on the discussion thread Not been to an AGS show? Check out the main AGS website for a show near to you......

The alpine Blog

This blog is devoted to my photographic activities whilst out on the alpine scene, whether it be an AGS show, a friends garden, out and about speaking or simply in my own garden. Much more information and news is on my website, see the link below but there are few space restraints her so you can enjoy larger, less compressed pictures! Pictures are for sale or publication, do remember they all are copyright and cannot be used without my permission - please contact me for further details. They form the background for a range of illustrated talks .....

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Virgin have not so kindly now deleted my freespace and with it the 'Alpines for the Enthusiast' website so apologies to anyone who finds themselves here wondering what's happened? I will eventually resurrect this as a new website but in the meantime, this blog is my only 'window' to the world! I plan to create a 'post' here which will cover the talks I offer but for now, if you want to get in touch, use the contact form below giving your name and contact email address....